Cooking School: German Lentil and Sausage Stew

Sometimes I think German cuisine is very inadequately underestimated. Fact is, there is a lot more to German food that sausages and beer. Until relatively recently the various regions of Germany were independent and autonomous communities. Prior to the national unification in 1871, Germany was divided into many kingdoms and principalities, each with distinct customs, distinct dialects and of course distinct culinary specialities.

Much of the regional foods are based on the country's favorite staples of beer, pork, potatoes, cabbage, and legumes (lentils, peas). Although there is this common factor throughout, many of the dishes are different in the method of cooking, seasoning, or the way they are served, making the regional cuisines of Germany excitingly varied.

One can divide German cuisine in three main sectors: Central, Northern, and Southern, where each region is essentially influenced by the bordering countries.

The dishes in central Germany are comprised of hearty meals and foods. The famed Westphalian ham and dark heavy pumpernickel bread is well-known around the world. Pork is important in this region and many dishes favor a heavy touch with freshly ground black pepper. Gravies are rich and thickened with dried bread crumbs rather than with flour. Frankfurt is recognized for a special herb-flavored green sauce, grüne sosse, made with several fresh herbs, very similar to Salsa Verde in Italy or Sauce verte in France.

The fluffy dumplings of Thuringia, known as grüne klosse are iconic. These feathery klosse are made only from raw and cooked potatoes, flour and sometimes an egg. Served with meat dishes like Rinderroulade(Beef roulade) they usually make up the perfect Sunday lunch. Although in Saxony the foods are similar, Saxonions however take even more pleasure in their sweet cakes: schnitten, stollen, and fruit kuchen are available in countless and delicious variety.

The Northern region, which is influenced by its proximity to the Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands, is characterized by thick soups, pickled and smoked meats and fish, and dried fruits to name a few.

Berlin is famed for its ground meat dishes or the strammer max, which is a snack of buttered rye bread with a thick slice of ham and two fried eggs resting on top and of course Berliner pfannkuchen, the luscious plump jam-filled doughnuts.

Southern German cuisine is characteristically lighter. Being a warm region the landscape is defined by viticulture, where wine flows more easily than beer. Some say Germany's finest cooking comes from the state of Baden Wurttemberg, which is influenced by the neighboring French kitchens. This region also supplies delicious plums and plump cherries which are transformed into the famous Kirchwasser and the Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte.

The regional cooking of Bavaria, in southeastern Germany is probably the cuisine most foreigners will identify as “typically German”. Bavarians love their beer and sausage, probably the the reason why many associate beer and sausage with Germany. Weisswurst, Schweinesbraten (roast pork) or Kalbshaxe (veal shank) are the top favorites. But Bavaria is also very well known for it’s cheese. The pastoral region of the Allgäu, known for its dairy farms boasts of a wide variety of acclaimed cheeses and cheese makers.

Personally, I enjoy the incredible variety of German stews and soups. Especially when winter's short days and dreary weather leave our bodies craving for warmth. Coming home to the embracing aroma of a steaming pot of richly flavored soup or stew has got to be one of the most comforting experiences. And there are plenty types of stews and soups to choose from, from the German kitchen.

Simmering the stew slowly is the secret for the perfectly cooked dish. Slow simmering the ingredients in broth gradually extracts and blends the flavors to excellence. The finished dish will perpetually taste a little different every time it is made, depending on the ratio of the ingredients and at what stage of cooking they are added.

For this session of Cooking School I’d like to share with you a homey and simple German lentil stew. After living here for 17 years, my German lentil stew has evolved over the years, but still keeping it as close to the traditional recipe I cut out from a paper several years ago. I use more vegetables in my stew and throw in some cubed Kassler (smoked pork) for a more robust and smoky flavor. This is really good stuff!

Heat up a frying pan on medium. Place the onion halves cut side down in the frying pan and allow to blacken gently. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a pot and fry the bacon and Kassler for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add the lentils, vegetables stock and blackened onions and allow to simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the diced and sliced vegetables and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, then add the sausages and cook through for the final 5-10 minutes.

Pour in vinegar and season with sugar, salt and pepper to taste. If the consistency of the stew is too thick then pour some more vegetable stock to thin it down according to your liking. I prefer my stew fairly thick.

Sprinkle with flat-leaf parsley and serve piping hot with a dollop of mustard.

Verdict

Perfect comfort food, especially in this cold and wet weather. The smoky flavors of the bacon, meat and blackened onion adds a great full-bodied flavor. This is a hearty soup and one needs no further condiments other than a nice spoonful of spicy mustard. The touch of vinegar adds a subtly tart note rounding the stew off wonderfully.

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Isn't funny how we all know all those wonderful dishes yet still don't think of them when someone mentions German cuisine. It's like Italian cuisine. Everyone automatically thinks of pizza and pasta! Fabulous stew and we love this kind of warming, hearty meal in winter. Love lentils, too.

Oh my, that looks SO good. I actually thought I knew something about German food, but most of what you've mentioned I've never heard of before. I've always enjoyed learning about the food that comes from particular regions, and the influence each has on one another. Very nice, Meeta!

Oooh stop it, I haven't had my dinner yet and I'm starving! I love sausage and lentil stews, my mother used to make one based on my late German grandmother's recipe. My husband complains when I make it but I love it. I must manage to visit Germany at some point, it's quite ridiculous I haven't.

So many cultures offer sausage and lentil type stews and I haven't met one I've disliked! Make a chorizo and lentil one last week, had the leftovers yesterday for lunch - delicious! We will try your version because the men in our house have a weakness for German sausages. x M.

An interesting summary of the regional cuisine. I was in Stuttgart 15 months ago, and the food was varied,delicious and generous. I feel there was quite a large Turkish influence there. You certainly feel like you get your money's worth. And even more. Warm people, generous hospitality, beautiful countryside and the place is steeped with history.

I also spent a little time in Dusseldorf and Koln. Travelling down the Rhine was majestic. I shall go back one day and spend much more time. Thanks for the history lesson. Mariana

I close my eyes and dream every time I read one of your posts - Jamie's and Jeanne's too! All of you are wonderful teachers and I always feel like I come away knowing something I didn't before. What's even more interesting Meeta is that I am part German - Yeager (Jager) is my maiden name; I have traced my roots back to the 1700s to a Nicholas Jager - don't remember which part of Germany but I must look that up before heading over in May. The Professor is part German as well and has been searching his family as well. Fantastic stew - the addition of vinegar & mustard is brilliant!

Whenever I feel like I am loosing the grip, the dish I always turn to is a big, steaming lentil stew. I think I have a little German in me ;o) Wish it was easier to get Kassler here - in South Africa every supermarket stocked Kassler chops, but not here :( As you know I am a huge fan of Bavarian cuisine and I make a mean Schweinesbraten but I am willing to travel north to share this hug-in-a-bowl with you, my sweet sister, particularly when you mentioned that it contains smoky, sizzling BRATWURST ;o)

Oh my! my little (ok, not so little) sister is coming to Germany in less than 2 months for the Erasmus.. I'm happy you show us something about the German cuisine, it's like.. you know! the more you know about a country the nearer it seems!Thank you! I love this dish, lentils are a favourite to me and Claudia!

I have never cooked lentils other than the vegetarian soup and porridges we make in lebanese kitchen; however, I am tempted now by this meaty version as it looks and sounds excellent, especially with the smoked sausages.

Kassler is hard to find in the US -- it is lean, dry & lightly smoked. I usually use ham (find one not too sweet or smoky) to substitute for both the Kassler & the Bacon. This way it doesn't get too fatty.

Great comfort food, and just right for this wintry spell. Love the window on regional cuisine Meeta, and love the meeting of flavours! lentils? Who would have thought??? This is just Mr PABs kinda stew!

I absolutely love this post Meeta - the German food history (my great-grandfather came from Germany, so this is pretty interesting to me), the delicious sounding recipe and of course your fantastic photographs. This is a meat lover's dream!

The best thing I love about cooking is the verdict part... I always find myself very nervous and uneasy when finish cooking worrying that my cook won't fit those who will going to eat. And the best part is that when they start asking who cooked and expressing the impression.

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Hello, I am Meeta a freelance food photographer, stylist and writer living in the cuturally rich city of Weimar, Germany with my husband and our son, where I enjoy preparing multi-cultural home cooked meals with fresh organic ingredients. What's for lunch, Honey? is my award winning food blog where I combine my love for food with my love for photography and styling...